Sleet cutter for trolley wires



Dec. 29, 1931. A, LCHALLEEN 1,838,091

SLEET CUTTER FOR TROLLEY WIRES Filed Feb. 7, 1931 INVENTOR ATTO RN EYS Patented Dec. 29, 1931 UNITE-D STATES ALBERT J. cnnLrinrav, F HIGHLAND raux, MICHIGAN "snnnr CUTTER non Tno-LLEYwmns Application lcd February 7, 1931. Serial No. 514,177. Y

The present invention pertains to a novel device for removing sleet and ice from a current conductor so that abare surface of the latter is exposed for engagement by the current collecting member of an electric vehicle.

Certain `devices of present construction are objectionable in that they do not provide sufiicient outlet for the elimination of sleet removed from the trolley conductor, with the 1o result that a layer of ice is eventually formed between the conductor and thecutter so that the metallic current path is interrupted and excessive arcing occurs. I The arcing ahects the normal current collector almost immediately since the, latter is directly beneath kthe point where the arcing takes place. The formation' of this layer of ice occurs principally because the bottom of the cutter rests directly upon the normal current collector or 2o some other part, thus preventing elimination of loose sleet through the bottom of the device.

The objects of the present invention are to overcome these diiiiculties and are accomplished essentially by constructing the cutter in such va manner that the bottom thereof is disengaged from any other partandby lproviding ample elimination openings in the bottom. More specifically, the device may be conceived as consisting of two portions,

one of which receives the normal current collector and the other of which projects horizontally therefrom and carries the cutting velements with the elimination openings. Another object of the invention .is to Vprovide asleet cutter applicableequally to a `trolley wheel or to a'sliding shoe. j

The invention is `fully disclosed by way .of

- example in the 'followingdescription and in the accompanyingdrawings in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the novel cutter Amounted upon a current collector;v v

v Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, partly in '45 section; and

vice.

Reference to these views will now be had by use of, like characters which are employed to designate .corresponding parts throughout.

- In Figures land 2 is illustrated a conventional orked harp l in which is rotatably mounted a conventional current collector 2. The stem 3 of the harp is bored as at 4 to be fitted on the upper end of a trolley pole and u for another purpose which will presently apear.

Thesleet cutter` according to this invention is a generally curved conducting member 5 having at one end a shank 6 which slips into the bore 4. Directly adjacent the shank, the lower side of the member 5is formed with a cavity 7 into which the collector 2 is adapted to lit as shown `in F ig. 2. A portion of the wall of the cavity is arcuate as at '8 to engage either'a part ofa trolley wheel or one of the curved ends of a trolley shoe. Adjacent the arcuate w-all portion 8 is a substantially straightv wall Vportion v9 merging into lthe shank 6. When the collector is in the form of im a shoe as in Fig. 2, the wall portion 9 engages one of the straightsides of the shoe, solthat the shoe is firmly held inthe cavity.

Y' The part of the member 5 thus far described may be conceived as the portion which re 75 ceives the current collector, and the cutter further includes another portion 10 extending substantially horizontally from the Vfirst mentioned portion and in' the direction of travel. Owing to this relation, the portion l0 is en- 30 tirely free from the part which receives the current collector, except where it unites therewith. v

The upper surface of the portion 10 is preferably grooved as at 1l to engage the current B5 conductor 12. Althoughthe member l2 is here illustrated as a wire, it may beof any other shape, such as an overhead rail,and the upper surface of the portion l0 would be yshaped accordingly to beguided alol'ig.l the 90 Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the de- "il:

vce

conductor. The base of the groove 11 is notched at intervals as at 13 to form spaced cutting edges 14 lying transversely of the groove and the conductor 12 and thus adapted to scrape the lower surface of the latter. Passages 15 are formed from the spaces between the cutting edges 14 through the bottom of the extended portion 10 to provide an escape for the sleet or ice released by the edges 14. It may here be pointed out that this means of escape is considered to be a distinct improvement over devices hitherto proposed, inasmuch as the latter adord no elimination through the bottom but rather-have a solid bottom which contributes Yto the formation of a layer of ice betweenthe'bottom of the conductor 12 and the-subjacent-metal part. In addition to the passages 15, lateral ports 16 are formed transversely throughithei.

portion l0 to communicate with the passages 15 or with the spaces between the cutting ed es 14. Y downwardly extending hook 17 is formed asan integral part ofthe member 5, preferably at the side ofthe cavity 7 opposite the straight wall-9. After the device has been mounted on the current collector, the usual trolley rope 18 which is attached to the harp isthrown over the hook as shown inFig. 2 in order to maintain the cutter more firmlyl on the collector. i

In theevent that arcing should occur between the lconductor 12' and the portion 10, the;portion of the rope thrown over the hook 17 is shieldedby a flap of insulating material 19 pivotally attached to the member' and covering the hook. inasmuch as the portion 10 is considerably odset from the collector 2, the arcing will not damage the collector. If the arcing is sufficientto burn od the portion 10, the remainder of the portion 5 is still serviceable as an emergency collector-and cutter in that -it is formed in its top witha continuation 11 of the groove 11 and also with cutting edges 14 which are belowthe normal cutters 14. Y `Y l Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be -apparent that various alterations in the details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of the invention vas indicated by the appended claims. Y l What I- claim is 1. A sleet cutter having a portion adapted to fit upon a current collector and another portion projecting substantially horizontally from the first portion to be odset from a collector tted into the first portion, the'second portion being adapted to ride along a current conductor, cutting devices across the top of said second portion and spaced lengthwise, thereof, and outlet means extending from the spaces between'said cutting devices to the outer surfaceof said second portion. o Y

2. A sleet cutter having a portion adapted to fit upon a current collector and another portion projecting substantially horizontally from the first portion to be odset from a collector iitted into the first portion, the second portion being adapted to ride along a current conductor, cutting devices across the top of said second portion and spaced lengthwise thereof, said second port-ion having outlet passages from the spaces between said cutting devices to the bottom outer surface of said portion.

3. A sleet cutter having a portion adapted to iitupon a current collector and another portion projecting substantially horizontally from the first portion to be odset from a collector fitted int'othe 'drst' portion, the second portionbeing-adapted to ride along a current conductor, cutting devices across the top of said second'portion and spaced lengthwise thereof, said second portion having outlet passages from the spaces between said cutting devices to the lateral surfaces of said portion.

4. A sleet'cutter having a portion adapted to fit upon Va current collector and another portion projecting substantially horizontally from the first portion to be odset from acollector fitted into the first portion, the second portion being adapted toride along a current conductor, -cutting devices across the top of said second portion 'and spaced lengthwise thereof, said second portion having outlet passages from the spaces between said cutting devices to the bottom outer surface and the lateral surface of said portion.

5. A sleet cutter having a portion adapted to'fit upona current'collector, and another portion projecting substantially horizontally from the first portion to be" odset from a collector fitted into the first portion, the second lportion being adapted to ride along a current conductor, cutting devices acrossV the top of said second portion and spaced lengthwise thereof, outlet means extending from the spaces'between said cutting devices to the outer surface of said second portion, a hook extending from one of said portions and ladaptedV toengage the trailing end of a collectorl received `in the first portion, andY a flap attached 'to one of Vsaid Yportions and adapted to cover said hook.

6. A sleet cutter having a portion adapted to fit upon a current collector vand another portion projecting substantially horizontally from the first portion to be odset from a collector lfittedinto the first portion, *theA second portion having a grooveadap'ted-to receive a current conductor,{'cutting devices across said groove and spaced lengthwise thereof,

and outlet means extendingrfrom the spaces between said cutting devices to theouter surface of said second portion.V

7. A sleet cutter having a-portion adapted to fit upon a' current collector and.; another portion projecting substantially horizontally 'from the first portion to be odset'from ar'collector fitted into the rst portion, the second portion being adapted to ride along a current conductor, cutting devices across the top of said second portion and spaced lengthwise thereof, and outlet means extending from the spaces between said cutting devices to the outer surface of said second portion, the first portion being also adapted to ride along a current collector and having transverse cutting devices below the normal operative plane of the first named cutting device.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

ALBERT J. CHALLEEN. 

